Amends
by The Notorious Naurwen
Summary: WARNING: SLASH! SEIFER/ZELL! IF YOU DUN LIKE THAT, DUN READ IT! Seifer feels guilty about hurting Zell and feels it is time to make amends...
1. Guilt

'Amends'  
  
Author: The Notorious Naurwen  
  
Chapter 1: Guilt  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. ~sniff~ This was gonna be a Songfic, but I changed my mind. Been there, done that! Lol! Thanks for reading! ^_^  
  
Seifer leaned his back against his chair in the cafeteria. His friends, Fujin and Raijin sat at his sides, eating their lunch vigilantly. Even though Garden had welcomed them back, a lot of the students hadn't. They were constantly looking up from their food to match sure no one was throwing things at them. The posse had found that out the hard way. Seifer dared to glance over to the table on the far side of the cafeteria.  
  
Squall's table, Squall's friends, Squall's school. Everyone was on Squall's side. No one was on Seifer's side. Hardly anyone tried to understand HIS side of the story. It was always about Squall!  
  
Seifer watched as Squall and his own posse ate and talked. His eyes fell upon Zell: The short martial artist he tortured with snide remarks and cruel nicknames for as long as he could remember. A bad feeling rose in his gut the longer he watched him. It was guilt, even though Seifer liked to think he impossible of feeling it. He became a sorceress' knight, hurts hundreds of people, and he regretted none of it, mostly because he couldn't remember doing such a thing. But for some reason, he felt guilty about teasing a scrawny boy who whined all the time. The Great Seifer Almasy, feeling guilty. Go figure.  
  
Fujin was the first to realize Seifer was staring, and more importantly, whom he was staring at.  
  
"SEIFER. ZELL?" She asked, clearly amused, snapping the used-to-be knight back to reality.  
  
Seifer blushed. "I was just thinking. I guess I zoned off. It's nothing." He replied.  
  
Fujin smiled. "SEIFER. WORD. LAW." She answered, rolling her ruby eye.  
  
"What are you guys talking about, you know?" Raijin asked, finally realizing that there was a conversation going on.  
  
"It's nothing." Seifer said hurriedly, in the way that Raijin and Fujin could tell it was something.  
  
"Fine, if you don't want to tell us, you know?" Raijin replied.  
  
"YES. FINE." Fujin said, both she a Raijin looking away in the distance, ignoring Seifer. This, of course, they knew, was his weakness. Seifer eventually threw his hands in the air with frustration.  
  
"Damn you guys! You always do that to me!" He said, Fujin and Raijin smirked smugly at the fact that they had once again got something out of their friend.  
  
"SEIFER. SPILL."  
  
"Yeah, ya know?!"  
  
"Fine," Seifer whispered. "I'll admit it. I'm feeling guilty."  
  
"SEIFER? GUILT? WHY?" Fujin whispered, back.  
  
"Because I picked on Zell so much." Seifer sighed. "Why all of a sudden like this?"  
  
"SEIFER. LOVE. ZELL!" Fujin whispered between giggles.  
  
"Sounds like that to me, too, ya know?" Raijin added, smiling at Seifer.  
  
Now Seifer was really blushing. "I don't think so, I mean, this seems different."  
  
"Have you ever been in love?" Raijin asked.  
  
Once Seifer got over the shock that his friend had actually said a full sentence without adding the words 'ya know' after them, he replied. "No. I mean, I've had a few boyfriends, but nothing serious. And you're the only ones that know about that."  
  
"Well, why don't you try to talk to him. Tell him that you are sorry, ya know?" Raijin suggested.  
  
Seifer let out a laugh. "That'll be the day! Zell won't even listen to me! As far as he's concerned, the world is better off without me!"  
  
"TRIED?" Fujin asked, giving her friend a skeptical look.  
  
"You think I'm that brave? Zell will think I'm trying to get to him so I'll be more accepted by people. I know him. He's never trusted me." Seifer sighed, putting his head in his hands.  
  
"That doesn't mean he won't eventually, ya know?"  
  
"AGREED." Fujin put in, "SEIFER. ZELL. TALK. NOW."  
  
Seifer looked up at his friends and smiled. "You really think I should?"  
  
"Yes, we do, ya know!?" Raijin said, placing his hand on Seifer's shoulder.  
  
"YES." Fujin added, putting her hand on Seifer's remaining shoulder. "YOU. RAIJIN. ME. ALWAYS. POSSE."  
  
Seifer nodded. "I'll talk to him later. Thank you guys." And with that, Seifer Almasy walked out of the cafeteria in high hopes.  
  
Author's Notes: This is my second slash story! I hope you liked it! ^_^ Hi everyone! 


	2. Tying Up Lose Ends

'Amends'  
  
Author: The Notorious Naurwen  
  
Chapter 2: Tying Up Lose Ends.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. I wish I owned Squall, though! ^_^  
  
Author's Notes: Hi! I'd like to thank Imhotep Ardeth Bey for the sweet review! I hope to get more like this in the near future! You made me happy! ^_^  
  
Gathering up his courage, Seifer knocked on the door of Zell's dorm. He took a deep breath as he waited for a reply.  
  
"Who is it?" Came Zell's reply, muffled by the door.  
  
Seifer took another deep breath. "It's me."  
  
Zell opened the door with a scowl on his face. "What the hell do you want?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
"To talk." Seifer answered, sticking his hands in his trench coat pockets.  
  
"What for? To get everyone back on your good side? Because if that's the case, leave now." Zell snapped, glaring at the taller blonde.  
  
"Is it a crime to try to make amends these days? I'm here to tie up lose ends. I'm feeling guilty, alright?" Seifer spilled, looking at Zell determinedly. The short martial artist was clearly taken aback. His face was etched with shock.  
  
" . . . Come in." He said finally, moving away from the door to allow Seifer to enter.  
  
"Thanks." Seifer replied, entering the room. Zell walked across the room and sat on his bed. Seifer parked himself in a chair that was opposite the bed. Zell's walls were covered with magazine clippings of fighters and weapons and quite a few posters of the same genre. The room was also rather messy and dirty clothes and old papers littered the floor. All in all, it was fitting for a person like Zell.  
  
"What did you want to say?" Zell asked promptly. Looking Seifer dead in the eye.  
  
"That I've been feeling guilty about making fun of you all of these years. I'm sorry." Seifer said. Zell's eyes on his face were bothering him. Those sky blue irises never left his own turquoise pair. " . . . Why do you keep staring?" He asked finally, scratching the back of his neck nervously.  
  
"You really meant all that." Zell said in awe, still staring. "Why all of a sudden like this?"  
  
"You wouldn't understand." Seifer replied, sighing.  
  
"Why not?" Zell asked, finally done staring and raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Because, you just wouldn't. Don't read too much into it, ok?" Seifer replied, looking gravely at Zell, who held up his hands in defeat.  
  
"Hey, fine by me." The shorter blonde said.  
  
"Alright." Seifer paused and held out his hand. "Truce?"  
  
Zell smiled and shook his outstretched palm. "Truce."  
  
~*~  
  
The phone rang and Seifer groggily picked up the phone. He was back at his own door fairly quickly after his talk with Zell. He assumed it was Fujin wanting to know how things went.  
  
He was right.  
  
"SEIFER. ZELL. FRIENDS?" She asked immediately.  
  
"What? No Hello?" Seifer laughed. "Yes. Friends."  
  
"BOYFRIENDS?" She inquired with a slight giggle.  
  
"No. Zell doesn't even know about me yet. I don't know how he would react." Seifer replied, running a hand through his hair. "But at least we're friends at that's a start, right?"  
  
"AFFIRMATIVE." She said. "ZELL. FRIENDS. MISSION. SOON. SEIFER. TELL. THEN."  
  
"Maybe, Fujin. I need to get a better idea of how he will react. It took me forever to tell you guys. I hate to make sure that you wouldn't hate me, you know? It was hard enough coming to grips with it myself let alone worrying about how you guys would take it. Besides, I don't even know if Zell likes guys."  
  
"YOU. TELL. ZELL. THEN. KNOW." She suggested. "MAYBE. ZELL. CONFESS. TO. YOU."  
  
Seifer snorted, "I doubt it. Zell still doesn't trust me."  
  
"SHOW. TRUST. TELL. WHEN. READY." Fujin said. "MUST GO. TALK LATER."  
  
"See you, Fujin." Seifer hung up and went to sleep. Soon, Squall and his posse, save Zell, would be off on a mission for about a week. Maybe then, he and Zell could learn to trust each other. And maybe they would end up more than friends. 


	3. Advice

'Amends'  
  
Author: The Notorious Naurwen  
  
Chapter 3: Advice.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own them, my friends don't own them, and, odds are, neither do you. Doesn't that really suck?  
  
Author's Notes: I'd like to thank Imhotep Ardeth Bey (Hi!) for helping me come up with ideas and being my Beta Reader! Thanks! Oh, and I'm thinking of starting a duel POV thing: part of the chapter focusing on Seifer, and the other part focusing more on Zell. I'm not sure though, because it would be really awkward at this time in the story and I'm so used to writing Seifer now. If you have any suggestions, please include them in your review. Thank you!  
  
Seifer ran a hand through his hair nervously as he reached for the telephone receiver. He took a deep breath and dialed Zell's number. It rang a few times.  
  
"Hello?" Came the voice on the other end. Seifer swallowed the lump in his throat and took a deep breath.  
  
"Hi." Seifer replied, an anxious feeling rising in his stomach.  
  
"Oh. Hey." Zell said awkwardly. "S'up?"  
  
"Nothing much. Just wanted to talk." Seifer rubbed the back of his neck and sighed softly.  
  
"Oh." Zell said. "What for?"  
  
"Um . . . "Seifer began to panic and then blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "You, uh, need to work on your right hook, is all. It's getting a little sloppy, you know?"  
  
"What?" Zell asked in a startled tone.  
  
"Um. Forget it." Seifer hung up the phone, leaving a very bewildered Zell on the other end. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!" Seifer chanted, smacking himself on the forehead repeatedly. Seifer stalked out of the room disheveled and embarrassed. Running a hand through his short hair, he walked down the hall towards the Training Center. He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Selphie bounding down the halls, nunchaku in hands.  
  
"Hey, Seifer!" She greeted happily, hopping in step beside him. "How's it going?"  
  
"Not bad." Seifer sighed. "You?"  
  
"I'm great!" She giggled, a bounce in her step. "But you seem like there's something on you're mind . . ." she trailed off. "Anything I can do?" The thing about Selphie is, she's naturally a kind, accepting person. No matter who you are, she'll be there to help you out or just plain cheer you up. She had helped convince Squall and Cid to let Seifer back into Garden, as well as Matron. So Seifer felt that he owed it to her to tell.  
  
"It's just that . . ." Seifer paused as they entered the Training Center and Selphie looked up at him expectantly.  
  
"Hm?" She asked, following Seifer.  
  
"I apologized to Zell two days ago," He began, "but we haven't really talked. I mean, I tried calling him, but I end up choking and saying something idiotic."  
  
Selphie placed her index finger to her chin and thought. "My advice would be," she paused, "tell Zell how you feel about him."  
  
Seifer was blown away. "What? But-how did you . . .?" How could Selphie know he had feelings for him?  
  
Selphie giggled. "I'm just good at reading people, I guess!" She smiled cheerily and sort of hopped up and down in place. "You and Zell would be so absolutely adorable!" She leaned a little closer to Seifer and whispered. "I think Zell feels the same. He just doesn't know it yet."  
  
Seifer looked her right in her emerald irises. "You really think so?" He asked.  
  
Selphie nodded and they walked deeper into the Training Center. "I see him looking at you the way that Irvine looks at me. Or Squall looks at Rinoa. It's just a little glance usually, but there is this glint in his eyes. I can tell." Seifer sighed in relief.  
  
"Thanks Selphie. I needed this." Selphie just waved it off and smiled.  
  
"Hey, I'm always here to talk!" She her eyes went past him and she her nunchaku. "Now, let's kick some grat butt!"  
  
Seifer drew his gunblade and turned around to see 5 grats howling with hunger. "Alright!"  
  
Author's Notes! The sequel!: Thank you for reading! Ii would also like to say 'Hi' to Kammy, Thia, and Silver! Hi! 


	4. It Shouldn’t Matter

'Amends'  
  
Author: The Notorious Naurwen  
  
Disclaimer: I don't on them, already! Stop chastising me!  
  
Chapter 4: It Shouldn't Matter.  
  
"Bye everyone! See you soon!" Zell shouted, waving to his friends, as they were about to take off in the Ragnarok. Selphie waved especially hard, both at Zell and Seifer. The exuberant brunette winked at Seifer before climbing onto the ship, which her companions had already done. Seifer couldn't help but laugh at that. Talking to Selphie had been a great help and he was glad she didn't judge him.  
  
Seifer walked back into Garden and not too long after, he could hear the footsteps of someone following him.  
  
"Hey! Wait up!" Seifer turned around to see Zell, catching his breath after running.  
  
"Oh. Sorry." Seifer replied. "I didn't think you'd follow."  
  
"I wanted to ask you something." Zell said after he could breath again.  
  
"Ok. I'm all ears." Seifer said, shoving his hands in his trench coat pockets.  
  
"What was that phone call about last night?"  
  
Seifer was afraid he'd ask that question. He sighed and thought of all the ways he could answer, but the words that came out were: "I was nervous." He immediately cursed himself inwardly for being honest. Why couldn't he lie around him?  
  
"Nervous? Why?" Zell asked, cocking an eyebrow.  
  
"Because I thought you were ignoring me." Well, it was partly true. Not lying, exactly.  
  
"No, I wasn't ignoring you." Zell said. "I just don't know how the rest of the gang would take it. They can be a little . . . selective, ya know?"  
  
"Oh. Alright." Seifer turned and began walking again, when a hand grabbed his shoulder.  
  
"What's your problem?" Zell asked, a puzzled expression on his face.  
  
"My problem is this: it shouldn't matter what your friends think. Be friends with who want to. They shouldn't dominate your life." Seifer said a little harshly. Zell looked the taller blonde in the eyes and took his hand off Seifer's shoulder.  
  
"You're right." He said finally, looking at the floor. "You always seem right." Zell sighed deeply and looked back up into Seifer's turquoise irises. "I'm sorry."  
  
Seifer waved it off, saying. "It's okay. I forgive you." Zell smiled.  
  
"It's just us two now. Wanna go do something later? Fujin and Raijin can come to if they want to. I always get bored when I'm not sent out on missions."  
  
Seifer nodded and replied. "Sure. What do you want to do?"  
  
"I don't know. Take a movie, go bowling, something." Zell shrugged.  
  
"Want time?" Seifer asked.  
  
"21:00?"  
  
"Alright. Sounds good to me. See you then. Bye." Seifer said, walking towards the cafeteria. He noticed Zell was still following him and turned around again.  
  
"I'm headed that way, too." Zell said sheepishly. Seifer thought he could almost detect a slight blush on his tan cheeks.  
  
"Well, come on, then!" Seifer laughed. "You can have lunch with Fujin, Raijin and me!"  
  
Author's Notes: Tee hee! I hope you liked it! Don't worry! There WILL be romance! Just . . . no lemon. Lol! Sorry, but I don't write naughty stories. This is pure fluff! Pure, citrus-y fluff, as Cynthia would say. Hi Cynthia! Hi Kammy! Hi Imhotep Ardeth Bey! Hi Chelsea! Hi all the rest of my readers! ^_^ I hope you enjoy! 


	5. Magical

'Amends'  
  
Author: The Notorious Naurwen  
  
Disclaimer: Just leave me alone!  
  
Chapter 5: Magical.  
  
Seifer thought about the events that had happened before he had come home. Fujin, Raijin, Zell and he had gone to the beach and swam. Fujin and Raijin continuously splashed each other and Zell and he laughed at them. Once in a while, Seifer was sure he caught Zell staring at him. Being Seifer, he had no problem addressing this, making Zell deny it and blush. Seifer just splashed him. All in all, it was pleasant evening and Seifer had fun, even if he and Zell didn't end up making out under the pier like he had fantasized about.  
  
Seifer stripped down to his boxers and was about to crawl into bed, when the phone rang. Sighing deeply and cursing under his breath, Seifer picked up the telephone receiver. "Hello?"  
  
"Seifer, my mom had a heart attack. She's been life-lighted to Dollet. Please, take me to her." Zell's cracked and panicky voice came from the other line. Seifer didn't know what to say. He was in complete shock. "Normally I would go by myself, but my car is in the shop. Please, Seifer!" Zell pleaded. Seifer could hear him crying on the other line.  
  
"I'll be right there." Seifer managed to say. He hung up the phone, got redressed and grabbed his car keys on the way out. He walked briskly to Zell's dorm and knocked on the door. "I'm here, Zell."  
  
When Zell opened the door his eyes were bloodshot and red from crying. Seifer frowned and asked: "Are you going to be okay, Zell?"  
  
Zell wiped his eyes with his sleeve and nodded shakily. "I think so."  
  
"C'mon." Seifer said, grabbing Zell's wrist as they walked down the corridor. Zell blushed furiously and Seifer pretended not to notice. Zell was in too much pain right then. Once they got to the car, which was a silver convertible, Seifer let go of Zell's wrist and hopped in the front seat as Zell slipped into the passenger's seat next to him. The whole ride Zell stared out into space and Seifer's worried expression stayed glued to his features.  
  
"Don't worry, Zell." Seifer said finally, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "I'm sure your Ma is okay. I bet she's in great hands up there and getting the care she needs." For the first time during the car ride, Zell looked at Seifer dead in the irises. He looked back out the window and mumbled a soft:  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"It's not a problem." Seifer replied. The silence continued.  
  
"Seifer. I want to tell you something." Zell said, swallowing. "Something I haven't told anyone else but Selphie and my Ma."  
  
"Alright." Seifer said. "I'm listening."  
  
" . . . I'm gay." Zell said, looking Seifer in the eyes again.  
  
"So?" Seifer asked, smiling at Zell. "I don't mind. I'm-we're here." Seifer said, pulling into the hospital parking lot. Zell practically rushed out of the car to the entrance without replying, practically winding Seifer who was trying to keep up.  
  
"Hey! Wait up!" Seifer hollered after Zell. Zell stopped, blushing slightly at his sudden outburst and mumbled:  
  
"I'm sorry." Seifer just smiled and waved it off.  
  
"It's okay. Let's go see how your Ma is doing, okay?" Zell nodded and grinned back slightly as he and Seifer entered the hospital and walked up to the receptionist's desk.  
  
"Hi, I'm here to see Belladonna Dincht. She was life-lighted here because of a heart attach. We need to see her." Zell said hurriedly to the receptionist.  
  
"Are you family?" She asked, looking up from her keyboard.  
  
"I'm her son." Zell replied.  
  
"And him?" She asked, referring to Seifer.  
  
"He's my friend." Zell said, a pleading look to the receptionist.  
  
"Family only. Sorry, but it's hospital regulations. He'll have to stay in the waiting room." The receptionist-she didn't look much older than 16-gave an apologetic look Seifer and Zell. "Her room number is 247 on the 2nd floor." Zell nodded and glanced to Seifer for a moment. Seifer smiled and nodded for him to go. Zell gave a grateful look back at sauntered over to the elevator.  
  
Seifer sat down in one of the uncomfortable chairs of the waiting room and picked up an old, outdated magazine to flip through.  
  
"You like him a lot, don't you?" The receptionist said, causing Seifer to look up. She had a mischievous grin etched on her features and a knowing look in her eyes.  
  
"Yeah, I do." Seifer admitted, smiling back.  
  
"I thought so." She said, going back to typing as she continued to smile. "It looks like he feels the same."  
  
~*~ Later That Night ~*~  
  
Zell exited the elevator and walked to the waiting room. Seifer had curled up on a couch and fallen asleep. Zell smiled softly as he walked up to the napping blonde and poked him on the small of his back. Seifer twitched and rolled over onto his back, a glare on his features. His eyes softened as he saw Zell standing above him with an impish grin on his face.  
  
"Fujin told you I hated that, right?" Seifer said, looking up at Zell from his position on the couch. Zell nodded and laughed. "How's your mom?"  
  
Zell sighed. "She's going to be okay. She'll have to stay here for another week to get a pacemaker put in, though. I'm not going to have a place to go for the weekend." Seifer situated himself in a sitting place and Zell sat beside him.  
  
"Well, at least she'll be alright." Seifer offered, looking into Zell's gorgeous clear-ocean blue irises. Zell nodded and looked away, a blush rising in his cheeks. "Why is your face so red, Zell-" before Seifer could finish his statement, Zell's lips crashed against his. Reluctantly, Seifer pulled away without responding.  
  
"Oh. Seifer I'm sorry. I didn't think that you might not be . . . " Zell trailed off. Seifer shook his head.  
  
"Zell, it's not that. I'm gay, too. But if you're kissing me only because you want comfort, I'm not like that. When you kiss me, I want it to be because you love me. But if you'd kiss anyone who was in my shoes then . . . " Seifer paused, "then I can't do that." Zell looked deep into Seifer's pair of turquoise eyes.  
  
"Seifer, I love you." He said. "I always have. I hope I always will." Zell stroked Seifer's cheek with the outside of his hand sincerely. A soft smile played on Seifer's lips as Zell came in for another kiss.  
  
And it was magical. 


	6. I Love Him

'Amends'  
  
Author: The Notorious Naurwen  
  
Chapter 6: "I love him"  
  
Discalimer: What cho talking bout, Willis?  
  
Author's Notes: Um . . . sorry, Imhotep, but I got a different idea. _ I'll write an Squall/Irvine in the near future. ^_^ I just realized about the whole "love connection" thing I put in the chapter with Seifer talking to Selphie. And I really had to keep them in the pairs they already were in. I'm disappointed, too. (  
  
Seifer smiled at Zell from across the classroom. It had been a few weeks since Ma Dincht came back from the hospital, and Seifer and Zell's relation was going well. Zell returned the smile and looked back to his computer screen and Seifer did the same. It was getting harder not to kiss Zell in between classes and to hold his hand when walking down the halls. It wasn't fair that straight people could do that without anyone caring, but as soon as two guys or two girls show affection, people will turn on you.  
  
Zell hadn't told his friends yet about his relationship with Seifer. The only people who knew were Ma Dincht and Selphie. But Seifer knew Zell couldn't hide it forever.  
  
After class, Seifer pulled Zell aside. "Are we gonna tell your friends today?" Seifer asked, a questioning look in his turquoise eyes. Zell fidgeted slightly.  
  
"Yeah. I'm just nervous." Zell said, sighing. Seifer ran his gloved hand through his boyfriend's hair.  
  
"It'll be okay." Seifer replied. "That's the way I felt before I told Fujin and Raijin." Seifer cupped Zell's chin with his hand, "But they're your friends. I'm sure they'll understand." Seifer finally gave in and kissed Zell passionately on the lips. After a few seconds, Zell pulled away.  
  
"I have to get to my next class. Sorry." Zell said in disappointment.  
  
"Me too. I'll see you at lunch. Bye." Seifer kissed Zell quickly on the cheek and exited the classroom with Zell.  
  
"Bye, Seifer." Zell replied as the two parted.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Seifer spotted Zell entering the cafeteria. He motioned the shorter blonde to come to him. Zell got the message and sat down next his boyfriend, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Are you still up to this, Zell? You have to tell them sometime, but I'll understand if today is not the day." Seifer whispered.  
  
Zell shook his head. "It's now or never. I have to tell them eventually. Why not today?"  
  
Seifer grinned and rested his hand on Zell's knee so no one could see. "That's my boy." He said softly. A soft chuckle escaped Zell's lips.  
  
"You'll come with me right? I don't want to tell them alone." Zell sighed. Seifer nodded.  
  
"Of course I will. This sort of thing takes courage. I'll be there for you." Seifer fought the urge to run a hand through Zell's soft hair. Zell could tell what the tall gunbladist was thinking and smirked.  
  
"Thanks Seifer."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
After classes, Zell told everyone to meet him at the Quad. The Garden Festival meeting wasn't starting for another hour, so Zell figured he had plenty of time. Everyone was standing there and looking uncomfortable at the sight of Seifer while they were waiting for Zell. Squall just raised an eyebrow, as if confused to why he was there. Irvine just ignored Seifer's presence all together. Quistis had her back turned to him. Rinoa was clinging on Squall's arm and not paying attention to anything around her, and Selphie kept smiling happily because she knew what was going on.  
  
Finally, Zell entered the Quad. He was wringing his gloved hands nervously as he approached. Rinoa was the first to speak.  
  
"Hi Zell. What did you want to tell us?" She asked politely, smiling. Zell took a deep breath and looked at Seifer who nodded encouragingly.  
  
"It's not so easy for me to say . . . " Zell trailed off.  
  
"We're listening." Rinoa said, giving Zell a confused look. "You can tell us, Zell. We'll understand."  
  
Seifer believed her. That summer when he was 17, he came out to Rinoa. She had been very understanding then. Especially when it was after she confessed her love to him. Squall suited her better in any case.  
  
Zell glanced once more at Seifer, a kind of pleading and helpless look that broke the taller man's heart.  
  
~He has to be strong, ~ Seifer thought, ~he's gotta do this on his own. ~  
  
"You guys," Zell began, sighing heavily, "I'm gay." Quistis looked slightly startled by the news, but kept her composure. Squall tried to remain indifferent, but his eyes flashed in shock. Irvine just shrugged in his usual manner, as if nothing could surprise him. Rinoa just smiled and Selphie grinned knowingly, but everyone remained silent.  
  
"Um . . . aren't you gonna say something?" Zell said after a minute, visibly jostled by the silence in the room.  
  
Amazingly, Squall was the first to speak. "Zell, we're your friends. We wouldn't care about something like that."  
  
"Exactly." Irvine piped up. "Whether it's two guys, two girls, or a man and woman, it's still love, right?" He smiled reassuringly. (A/N: Classic Irvine lover-not-a-fighter attitude! ^_^)  
  
Quistis stared at Zell for a long while until she suddenly burst into tears and ran out of the Quad. Selphie glanced at Seifer and Zell and ran after her friend.  
  
Zell sighed deeply. "That wasn't the reaction I was hoping for." He said glumly.  
  
"Um, Zell?" Squall questioned, stepping forward. "Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure." Zell replied.  
  
"What's HE doing here?" Seifer knew Squall was referring to him. Rinoa must have figured it out, because she hit Squall lightly on the arm, trying to shut him up.  
  
Zell's words failed him as he looked once more to Seifer for help. Seifer stepped forward and looked Squall dead in the eye.  
  
"Do you have a problem, Squall?" Seifer asked, his gaze still on Squall. The brunette knight looked away from Seifer and over to Zell.  
  
"You cannot be serious, Zell." Squall stated, disappointment and disbelief in his tone.  
  
"Of course I'm serious, Squall." Zell finally said. "I love him."  
  
A/N: Oh! Cliffhanger! Lol! What will happen next?! Stay tuned! ^_^ 


End file.
